Government school teachers protest against transfer act, demand amendment

A large number of the teachers of the government-run schools of the district gathered at the Town Hall on Friday to press their demand for bringing an amendment in the Transfer Act meant for the government employees. The teachers allege that they are not being given chance to come back to the places they are from under the provisions of the new act.

Notably, the state Assembly had passed the Uttarakhand Annual Transfer Act-2017 which is aimed at paving the way for bringing into order the contentious issue of the transfers of the state government employees. The state government had claimed that the act was meant to make the transfer policy transparent.

However, on Friday, the primary school teachers of the government-run schools based in the district protested against the act. Speaking to The Pioneer, the primary school teacher Deepak Nehra said, “I, for instance, was appointed a teacher in 2014 at the state level. But according to the act, I would have to stay put in the block throughout my career. This is unjust. Though I have Haridwar domicile I would have to remain stuck in Uttarkashi. There is no hope for me and others to be transferred out of one’s block. This needs to be amended.”

Another teacher Manju Rawat alleged that they were being forced to remain in the hill towns with no hope left for them to come to the plains. “This is unfair. We must get a chance to come to the plain towns as well,” she added.